Skip to main content

Ofo ‘scales back’ bike sharing operations in US

Chinese bike sharing company Ofo is scaling back its US operations and has laid off employees from multiple departments. The move, according to a report by Quartz, will allow the company to refocus on markets in a bid to become profitable. The start-up plans to continue operating in US cities such as Seattle, San Diego and New York. According to Quartz, the company is also leaving Australia and Israel and reducing operations in the UK. The company operates yellow bicycles which riders can rent thro
July 24, 2018 Read time: 1 min
Chinese bike sharing company Ofo is scaling back its US operations and has laid off employees from multiple departments. The move, according to a report by %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external Quartz false https://qz.com/1331368/bike-sharing-company-ofo-is-dramatically-scaling-back-in-north-america/?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Issue:%202018-07-20%20Smart%20Cities%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:16284%5D&amp;utm_term=Smart%20Cities%20Dive false false%>, will allow the company to refocus on markets in a bid to become profitable.


The start-up plans to continue operating in US cities such as Seattle, San Diego and New York.

According to Quartz, the company is also leaving Australia and Israel and reducing operations in the UK.

The company operates yellow bicycles which riders can rent through a mobile app for around £1 per minute or one hour ride, depending on the city.

Ofo was founded in 2014 by students at Beijing’s Peking University and entered the US last year with the intention of offering a transportation option that could cover first- or last-mile trips.

Related Content

  • Webinar: how to solve traffic data gaps
    July 21, 2022
    On 28 July StreetLight Data will explain how AADT 2021 US Metric helps transport professionals
  • Cubic wins contract to mobilize LA Metro TAP Fare Payment System
    January 4, 2018
    Cubic Transportation Systems has been awarded a contract by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Authority (LA Metro), to deliver an integrated traveller app in support of the TAP regional contactless fare system. It is designed with the intention of allowing users to make a fare purchase, use their mobile device as a TAP card and complete their journey using transit, bikeshare, or other multimodal programs. It will also provide them with commute information. TAP links 24 transit agencies across the Los
  • Washington Post game highlights AV flaws
    September 11, 2019
    Mind the kangaroos! That is among the more surprising suggestions in a new entertainment which purports to illustrate the pitfalls of autonomous vehicles (AVs). US media giant The Washington Post has created a short interactive game which “shows readers how autonomous cars function and breaks down the technology to educate viewers about their limitations and challenges”. These include sensor blind spots and confusion over what other road users are about to do. The five-minute game takes the form of a jou
  • EVgo utilises Autocharge technology in North America
    April 23, 2019
    EVgo has deployed Autocharge technology in North America in a bid to allow customers to charge electric vehicles (EVs) without using apps or credit cards. Autocharge instantly recognises the EV and begins charging automatically, the company says. It is being launched on EVgo’s dedicated Maven Gig network – which offers rental cars for drivers who need a car to work for ride-share and delivery services. The technology will be rolled out across the US by the end of 2019 to all EVgo account holders with a